Further independent investigation in Israel-Palestinian war needed

Attacks on production facilities, including a chicken farm, the bulldozing of agricultural fields and bombing of factories is drawing UN attention, says the head of UN fact-finding mission on Gaza, Richard Goldstone.

Goldstone remembers that “We were in Gaza several months after the operations were finished, but no re-building of the 5,000 homes could begin due to the Israeli blockade, which prevented the building materials, and particularly cement, from going into the Gaza strip.

The 36 investigated cases were chosen by their severity – how many civilian people were killed in their homes, which they regarded as sanctuaries.

Richard Goldstone relates:

“There were over 300 people in one mosque in Gaza City and it was shelled through the front door, killing 15 and injuring dozens… there was no justification for the attack on that mosque."

“We had absolutely no bias; we entered into this as independently as we could. Obviously, one is affected by what one sees and what one hears, but certainly we did everything possible we could to make the report independent and unbiased."

“Having been appointed by the UN Security Council, we were completely independent of the Council or any other UN organ.”